


Murder on The Coruscant Express

by WigletsMom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Jedi Ben Solo, Murder, Murder Mystery, Not Canon Compliant, Reylo - Freeform, Smut, stranded in space, whodunit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:33:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29593539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WigletsMom/pseuds/WigletsMom
Summary: Jedi Knight Ben Solo stumbles upon a murder mystery while on a private transport from Tatooine to Coruscant. When the ship becomes stranded in space, he tries to unravel the mystery. Will he find the killer or will he be distracted by the pull to the dark side and a mysterious young passenger named Rey?Inspired by Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Murder on The Coruscant Express

It was common for people to approach Jedi asking for aid or favors when they were in public. Jedi Knight Ben Solo had certainly had his fair share of unsolicited requests from strangers in his thirty year lifespan. Today, however, he was not in the mood to be approached. He stood in the docking bay of Mos Eisley on the dustball planet of Tatooine, waiting for the Captain of  _ The Coruscant Express _ to lower the boarding ramp. The hood of his drab brown robe was pulled up to conceal his face. He found that he was less approachable with the hood up. Usually.

Today was not the day that Ben Solo wanted to be bothered. He was fuming at his current circumstances, and having difficulty controlling his emotions. His Uncle Luke Skywalker, the famous hero and head of the restored Jedi Council, had frequently warned him that he was only a few bad decisions away from following his Grandfather’s path to the dark side. Ben had recently been denied the rank of Jedi Master following a string of minor incidents here in Mos Eisley. Ben was now also stranded on this rock, his X-wing having been stolen overnight. It had probably been scrapped for parts by now. 

As punishment for his recent transgressions, his Uncle had refused to send someone to pick him up and suggested he use  _ hired _ transportation to make his way back to Coruscant. The thought made his skin crawl. And now he was about to be accosted by a stranger, who no doubt wanted something unpleasant from him.

He sensed the man’s approach through the force before he saw him. An angry dark aura swirled around the docking bay, slowly approaching him. Ben lowered his hand so that it was poised by the hilt of his lightsaber, just in case. He pulled down his hood and slowly turned to see the face of the advancing man. 

He was humanoid, pale and horribly scarred on his face. His pale blue eyes pierced through Ben, making him feel uneasy. The man was dressed as a nobleman, and was quite wealthy by the looks of it. The gold brocade of his tunic looked obscenely expensive. Ben closed his eyes and used the force to center himself. He reached out to the man and felt no ill intention toward himself. Ben opened his eyes.

The figure halted a few paces away. 

“You are a  _ Jedi _ ?” He said the word as if it were an insult. Ben was no stranger to the hostility that many in the galaxy felt toward the Jedi. His own Grandfather had nearly destroyed the galaxy. He didn’t blame people for questioning the Jedi or their methods. His Uncle had tried hard to restore the people’s faith in the Order. The Jedi Council had been restored when Ben was a young child, with his Uncle Luke at the head of it. Despite the rebuilding and peacekeeping work that the Jedi had been engaged in, there were still many who wished that the Order would disappear altogether.

“I am.” Ben shifted his weight so that it was equally balanced between both legs. He was still wary of the stranger’s intentions and didn’t want to be caught off guard should he need to use his lightsaber. He had no proclivity to use his weapon. The bright blue blade would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention. He generally preferred to talk his way out of things, when possible. He had inherited Han Solo’s silver tongue and charm. Aggressive negotiations were sometimes called for, but not in this instance. He was still well within control of the situation.

“I need your help, Jedi. Someone is trying to kill me.” A desperate plea from a desperate man?

Ben raised his eyebrows. “If you seek protection, I suggest you hire a bodyguard from the village. There are plenty of mercenaries here who seek to earn some extra coin.” 

“No! I need  _ you _ , Jedi. You can see into people’s hearts and minds. You can tell me which of these bastards seeks to kill me.” The man gestured to the small crowd gathered around the ship, preparing to board.

It was true. Ben Solo was especially adept at delving into people’s thoughts. It was effortless. Sometimes he did it without even intending to do it. He could pluck thoughts, or plant them, as easily as if he was blinking or breathing. It was a skill he mastered at a very young age, to the great horror of his parents. Perhaps that is why they shipped him off to his Uncle so young.

He allowed his mind to open and reached out to the stranger. There was true fear there, lurking just beneath the surface. This man really did fear for his life. Whether or not it was warranted, Ben could not say.

“Why do you think someone wants to kill you?”

“They have said as much.” He reached into his tunic and pulled out a datapad. After a few taps on the screen, he handed it to Ben. “For the past several weeks I have been receiving anonymous communications threatening my business and my life. This message received only two days ago is quite clear.”

Ben glanced down at the screen and read aloud, “You will not make it to Coruscant alive.” 

“See?” The man hissed at him, grabbing his datapad back.

“Wouldn’t the safest course of action be to avoid going to Coruscant?” Ben suggested sarcastically. His Uncle would be ashamed of his behavior. He was being very un-Jedi like. 

“I have some very important cargo being transported on this vessel. It is imperative that I accompany it.”

“Look, Mr. …?”

“Snoke.”

A squeezing of panic. A familiar name he remembered whispered between his Uncle and his Mother during his childhood. An evil man. A monster. He didn’t know the details, just that this was not someone to be trusted. Did this man know who he was, or did he just recognize him as a random Jedi? A deep breath was necessary, so as not to falter in his next line of questioning. 

“Mr. Snoke, I’m sure that your cargo doesn’t involve anything  _ illegal _ ? Because, as a Jedi, I would be obligated to turn you over to the New Republic authorities if there were to be anything unsavory discovered in your cargo.”

“No, no, no. Of course not, Jedi. It’s all above board, I can assure you. However, if the cargo does not make it safely to Coruscant, then I will be in even more trouble with my … investors.”

Ben sighed heavily. He wanted to refuse this man, who was still giving off unpleasant ripples through the force. But, he was going to be on the same vessel heading for Coruscant. Why not offer this man some assistance, if for no other reason than to pass the next few days without perishing from boredom himself? And, of course, he could not resist the chance to uncover something from his childhood that had been long forgotten. He suddenly found himself needing to know what his Mother and Uncle thought necessary to hide from him all those years ago.

“I will assist you, Mr. Snoke.”

“Excellent! I will make sure that you are handsomely rewarded, Jedi.” 

Ben waved his hand dismissively. “I have no need for your money.” 

“If you say so. Please excuse me, my young Jedi friend, I need to have a word with the Captain about my cargo. I will see you onboard.”

Ben nodded to Snoke who was already halfway across the docking bay. A small crowd had started to gather at the ramp. The Captain lowered the boarding ramp and descended. Several people began boarding  _ The Coruscant Express _ . Ben prodded them gently through the force, sensing not much of anything from the handful of people already onboard. It was as he expected, the trip would likely be uneventful.

Ben sighed and began walking toward the ramp. As he approached, he noticed a young brunette woman being stopped by the Captain. He only saw the back of her. She had a ridiculous trio of buns in her hair that was clearly the impulsive hairstyle of someone who was very young. The Captain leaned in and whispered something in her ear before handing her something that she immediately tucked into her pocket. She boarded the ramp without looking back. Something about the familiar way the Captain touched the woman’s arm made Ben frown. They clearly knew each other, and she did not appear to be one of the crew. 

Ben reached out to the Captain through the force. No malice or darkness was sensed. The man was about his own age, with dark curly hair. He had a little bit of a swagger to him that reminded Ben of his own father. He would not be surprised at all to discover this Captain to be a smuggler. If Snoke’s cargo was illegal, this man would certainly look the other way for a few extra coins in his pocket. Ben was not bothered. At the end of the trip, if the cargo turned out to be illegal, he could make a discreet call to his contacts in New Republic Security and have Snoke arrested. 

As Ben contemplated exactly what kind of transport he had unknowingly booked himself passage on, the Captain addressed the small group.

“Alright folks, Welcome to  _ The Coruscant Express _ . I am your Captain, Poe Dameron. Please step on board. I’d like to get moving as soon as possible. We have a full house today so please make your way upstairs and select your room if you will be staying with us until Coruscant. Yes, Mr. Snoke, I assure you that your cargo has been secured.” 

Ben followed the group up the ramp. The entry level of the ship contained the kitchen and gallery area, the cargo bay, engineering room, escape pods and the cockpit. Several of the passengers moved to the gallery and spread out at the table and the dejarik board. A few went up to the upper level.

The upper level of the transport ship contained the passenger cabins and the crew quarters. There were twelve passenger cabins in all, each containing a single bunk and small private refresher. There was a communal sonic shower at the end of the hallway. Ben deposited Snoke into the first cabin, after giving it a thorough sweep for assassins, explosives, or other unknown dangers. He had chosen this cabin because it was closest to the stairwell and Ben would be able to sense the comings and goings of all persons down the hallway. He would stay in the cabin next to Snoke. As he stepped into cabin number two to observe his surroundings, he noticed the young brunette woman take the cabin directly across from his. 

From this vantage point, he was able to see her face. She was fairly young, dressed in light clothing and protective armbands suitable to the climate of Tatooine. She was clearly someone who spent time in the sun, her skin tanned and dusted in freckles from sun exposure. She was carrying a large staff, with a bag tied to the end. As she stepped into her cabin, a small round orange and white droid followed her in. 

“Make yourself at home BB-8!” She turned to her droid companion and caught Ben staring at her. She frowned and closed her cabin door. 

He felt nothing from the young woman. Nothing at all. He gently prodded her through the force and frowned. She was a solid wall. Was she a force user trying to disguise her presence? Something nagged at the back of Ben’s mind. He couldn’t figure out why he felt so ill at ease. Perhaps it was the task at hand. He was now bodyguard to someone who thought that every person around him had murderous intent. Paranoia was a powerful thing.

Ben’s musings were interrupted by an announcement from the Captain through the intercom. 

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We will be taking off in just a few moments. We will be arriving in Naboo in just under six hours, where we will be picking up a few more passengers before heading directly to Coruscant. We will be touching down in Coruscant in three days. Please relax and make yourselves comfortable.”

Ben sank down on his bunk as the ship shuddered and began to lift off the ground. He ran his fingers through his hair. Three days. He just had to keep Snoke alive for three days. And, hopefully if this went well, he could convince Master Luke that he can be trusted with more difficult missions. These ridiculous tasks they kept sending him on were really a waste of his skills. 

He had never taken a padawan of his own, even though he was more than capable. This had greatly bothered his Uncle. Perhaps once he got back to Coruscant he would finally take someone on. Maybe if his Uncle saw him making more of an effort, he would finally be granted the title of Jedi Master that he craved. 

The sound of female laughter and the shrill whistle of a droid from the hallway made him look up. It was the girl from across the hall. He needed to figure out what her deal was. As he reached out again with the force to prod at her walls, he realized what was bothering him. It wasn’t that she had up a wall . . . it was more of a void. She was totally closed off from the force.

Interesting. Well, if nothing else came from this trip, he could at least try and figure out her story. There was absolutely no way Snoke was going to be killed on this trip. The logistics of murdering someone and stealing their cargo on a small transport like this made it highly unlikely that the attempt would occur here. There were, afterall, a limited number of potential murderers. Who would be so foolish as to murder someone when their odds of being captured were so great? 

Ben nodded to himself, convinced. There was absolutely no way Snoke would be killed within the next three days. Not while there was a Jedi Knight on board.


End file.
